Conducting an Executive Search for a Director of Corporate Support Services to provide contemporary finance and business leadership in this high performing school.
This is a rare opportunity to contribute meaningfully to a leading educational institution, driving both financial and environmental sustainability while supporting the school’s mission and values.
The Brief
Future Leadership was engaged by this leading Melbourne girls’ school to identify a dynamic and experienced financial and business leader to take on the role of Director of Corporate Support Services. This pivotal senior leadership position reports directly to the Principal and plays a critical role in shaping the strategic and operational direction of the school.
As a member of the Executive Team and several key committees—including Finance, Building, Foundation, and Risk—the Director oversees a broad portfolio encompassing finance, risk and compliance, property, cleaning, catering, and the swim school. The Director also provides vital support to the School Board and its sub-committees. The role demanded a leader with strong commercial acumen, deep financial expertise, and a commitment to transparency and service across the school community. Proficiency in IT strategy, disaster recovery planning, and contract negotiation were identified as essential areas of expertise, along with a CPA qualification or postgraduate credentials in finance.
The briefing process identified that the successful candidate would demonstrate exceptional interpersonal skills, fostering a collaborative and high-performing team culture while building strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders. A trusted advisor to the Principal, the Director would bring emotional intelligence, a growth mindset, and the courage to challenge constructively. It was important to the school that the incoming Director would be highly visible and engaged within the school, attending events and adopting a consultative approach to financial leadership.
Candidate net Promote Score
Future Leadership combines truly personalised relationships with innovative technology solutions to ensure an approachable and efficient process for all our Net Promoter Score across clients, successful candidates and unsuccessful candidates is well above industry standard.
Candidates supported every year
We maintain genuine relationships with past candidates and continue to support them with leadership solutions long term, after they land their role.
Senior Women Appointed since 2002
Over half of the executive search assignments undertaken by our team have resulted in the appointment of outstanding female or LGBTQI+ leaders to high profile roles.
Candidate Retention Rate for 12 months since 2002
Our thorough briefing process and ability to engage passive candidates mean that we go to great lengths to find the right person for the role – long term!
The Process
Future Leadership undertook a comprehensive briefing to ensure the search process was tailored to the needs of the school. The team, lead by Liz Jones, held a strong, existing relationship with the school having worked on a number of searches over multiple years to appoint other key roles including the Deputy Principal and Director of Marketing and Communications.
Key steps for this successful process included:
- Briefing and Strategy Development: A comprehensive briefing was completed with the Principal and Director of Human Resources. It was during this meeting that the background to the position and future requirements were clearly outlined, along with the skills, experience and capabilities of the ideal appointee.
- Targeted Candidate Search: The search process focussed on high calibre candidates with specific and relevant experience gained in the education sector with wider commercial experience. With recent work undertaken in similar roles, the Future Leadership team was able to connect with qualified candidates to assess their interest, in addition to obtaining additional referrals. The search was supported by an online advertising campaign.
- Candidate Assessment: Following a comprehensive behavioural based interview with Liz Jones as the lead consultant, shortlisted candidates undertook a psychometric assessment. These assessments independently evaluate shortlisted candidates against the specific capabilities from the Future Leadership Capability Framework that were identified as most critical for the role during the briefing. A psychologist’s written assessment was included in the shortlist report presented to the selection panel.
- Final Evaluation: The shortlisted candidates participated in a panel interview hosted at the Future Leadership office, with two candidates progressing to a second-round interview on site at the school which included a presentation on a prescribed topic. Full 360-degree reference checking was completed for the preferred candidate, with written reports provided to the selection panel.
This rigorous process ensured the appointment of a candidate capable of developing and delivering on the strategic and operational plans required to support the school now and into the future.
Emerging Capabilities
Emotional Awareness
Understands own emotions and drivers and how they impact self and others. Manages self in challenging or high stress situations. Adjusts behaviour to respond to difference in others to achieve effective outcomes.
Commercial Acumen
Provides a deep understanding of relevant industry, marketplace and business drivers as applicable to the organisation. Leverages the application of commercial tools and frameworks to manage opportunities, conflicts and trade-offs. Able to focus on customer service requirements and acts proactively to raise the customer experience.
Communication and Influence
Communicates with clarity and impact to facilitate individual and collective understanding, inspire action and enable information exchange. Leverages human-centric communication and storytelling to effectively influence stakeholders across the physical and virtual realms.
Systems Thinking
Systematically breaks down siloes across the operating environment and connects stakeholders to harness convergent ideas. Understands the leverage points of systems change and demonstrates the ability to think beyond known systems.
Culture and Engagement
Engages stakeholders inclusively with sensitivity and regard for diversity and facilitates a psychologically safe environment for social or cultural differences affecting behaviour.
Stakeholder Relations
Establishes rapport with stakeholders, builds and sustains trusted and collaborative relationships. Identifies and draws on relevant and diverse perspectives and integrates them to support productive interactions.
The Outcome
The successful candidate brings over 20 years’ experience in financial leadership, governance, risk management and business operations with their most recent position extending beyond financial oversight, and encompassing property and facilities management, compliance, enterprise agreement negotiations and cross departmental leadership. With expertise in strategic planning, risk mitigation and stakeholder engagement the appointee had strong alignment with the school’s focus on long term sustainability and operational excellence.
Additional experience brought to the role includes extensive collaboration with school councils, executive leadership teams and regulatory bodies, ensuring compliance with financial regulations while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. The appointed combines qualifications in Commerce and Law, Chartered Accounting and the AICD Company Directors Course with a calm, loyal and capable nature, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness.
